Between the Sea and the Sky: Evoking maritime images and experiences from the architects’ past, a house for a young family reaches out to the water.

By Clifford A. Pearson

Most architects say they start each project with a blank slate. Brian MacKay-Lyons, though, talks about creating a body of work over 27 years; he isn’t afraid of describing a new design as “consistent.” “You build on the shoulders of the project before, so you get a little better each time. I haven’t gotten tired of that,” says MacKay-Lyons, who practices with partner Talbot Sweetapple in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The architects stress “place, craft, and community” in shaping their buildings. In their part of the world that means “it’s always going to be a box,” states MacKay-Lyons, explaining that in a climate that shifts from freeze to thaw about 250 times a year, icicles will form on eaves and simple lines work best. “Then we cut openings in the box like Matta-Clark going at it with a chain saw.

Yes–Less is more although it requires more thought and attention than conventional Architecture. It’s is not simple to make something look simple. Similar to minimalist art. It’s ALL about the process. Thank you!